UNION INVOLVEMENT IN QUALITY-OF-WORKLIFE EFFORTS: A LONGITUDINAL INVESTIGATION

The purpose of this study is to investigate potential outcomes for unions involved in joint union-management QWL efforts. Subjects (rank-and-file union members) from three different QWL efforts within one organization were identified and measured at two points in time to determine what impact a joint QWL effort would have on their perceptions of the union. Results indicate that after QWL involvement, participants perceive a higher level of union influence in job areas where unions have not traditionally been involved (i.e., implementing technological changes, helping improve service to customers). In traditional job areas (i.e., scheduling shift changes and vacations) an interaction between the perception of QWL success and union influence was noted. The findings also indicated a desire by the "silent majority" of union members to become involved in QWL efforts. Finally, the present research suggests that after QWL involvement, a majority of the rank-and-file members who perceived QWL as successful gave equal credit for the success to both union and management. The rank-and-file members who perceived QWL as unsuccessful tended to blame management for the lack of success. Implications of these findings and the need for more research in this area are discussed.     

LEADERSHIP TRAINING IN ORGANIZATIONAL JUSTICE TO INCREASE CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIOR WITHIN A LABOR UNION: A REPLICATION

In a replication of a quasi-experiment by Skarlicki and Latham (1996), we investigated the effect of training union leaders ( N = 25) in the administration of organizational justice principles on union members' ( N = 177) perceptions of their leaders' fairness and the members' subsequent citizenship behavior toward their union. Despite the fact that the union members were also shareholders of the company, the results were replicated. Union leader training increased members' perceptions of their leaders' fairness as well as union members' citizenship behavior directed both toward the union as an organization (OCBO) and fellow union members (OCBI). Organizational justice was found to partially mediate the effect of the training on OCBO, but not OCBI.     

An information search model of evaluative concerns in intergroup interaction

In an information search model, evaluative concerns during intergroup interaction are conceptualized as a joint function of uncertainty regarding and importance attached to out-group members' views of oneself. High uncertainty generally fosters evaluative concerns during intergroup exchanges. Importance depends on whether out-group members' evaluations are perceived as diagnostic of one's social standing and outcomes. Perceived diagnosticity can arise from the out-group's control over resources (contingency) and/or ability to provide accurate assessments (expertise) and is a function of the relative status of one's group and the perceived legitimacy of the group status difference. Evaluative concerns trigger information search efforts and forms of uncertainty reduction that have a variety of negative downstream effects. Implications for efforts to improve intergroup relations are discussed.     

PERCEIVED COSTS AND BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION IN UNION ACTION

Conflicts in organizations are often initiated by unions. The outcome of a conflict depends on the opportunities of the parties to use the power they have. Parties seldom use all of their resources, either because they are not willing to risk them or because they are not able to muster them. Resources have to be mobilized before they can be used. In this study the conditions under which union members were willing to support their union in a conflict were examined. It was hypothesized that readiness to support union action is a function of the individual's estimates of costs and benefits. One hundred and eight union members in a company where conflict was imminent were asked at two different points in time whether they would support union action. Various types of action were mentioned. The union attempted to mobilize support between the two measurements. Anticipated costs and benefits of a collective, social, and material nature accounted for the variance in willingness to give support, changes in this willingness, and preferences for certain types of action. These findings confirm the contention that a value-expectancy approach to the willingness to participate in union action can be useful. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Teaching psychological assessment: training issues and teaching approaches

Clinical psychology graduate programs need to pay attention to important issues involved in teaching psychological assessment, if graduate students are to be adequately prepared. Recent studies have suggested a gap between academic training in psychological assessment and internship expectations. Graduate students are not as well prepared as many internship settings would like. In addition to learning the fundamentals, students need help in dealing with issues of categorizing individuals, using tests in helpful ways, taking responsibility for decision-making, and developing a balance between critical evaluation of tests and appreciation of their usefulness. Teaching approaches for dealing with these issues are discussed. The importance of academic and clinical agencies working together is stressed. Goals for graduate training in assessment are suggested.     

Teaching Psychological Assessment: Training issues and Teaching Approaches

Clinical psychology graduate programs need to pay attention to important issues involved in teaching psychological assessment, if graduate students are to be adequately prepared. Recent studies have suggested a gap between academic training in psychological assessment and internship expectations. Graduate students are not as well prepared as many internship settings would like. In addition to learning the fundamentals, students need help in dealing with issues of categorizing individuals, using tests in helpful ways, taking responsibility for decision-making, and developing a balance between critical evaluation of tests and appreciation of their usefulness. Teaching approaches for dealing with these issues are discussed. The importance of academic and clinical agencies working together is stressed. Goals for graduate training in assessment are suggested.     

Religion and Altruistic U.S. Foreign Policy Goals: Evidence from a National Survey of Church Members

Interest in the possible role of religion in shaping attitudes toward the U.S. foreign policy has increased significantly in recent years, but relatively few studies have been conducted. Drawing on a new national survey of church members, we examine the relationships of religious identity, religious involvement, and congregational programs to attitudes about the importance of altruistic foreign policy goals. We find no support for popular claims that evangelical Protestants hold particularly supportive attitudes toward international human rights and humanitarian aid policies. We find only modest support for the idea that attendance at worship services encourages people to be altruistic in a way that influences their views about foreign policy. However, we do find considerable support for the idea that congregations can shape members' views about foreign policy through intentional activities that raise awareness of needs at home and abroad .     

Incorporating Lesbian and Gay Issues Into Counselor Training: A Resource Guide

In order for counselors to facilitate the growth of their lesbian and gay clients, they must be familiar with and become sensitive to the special needs of this population. However, most counselors and counselor trainees have had little exposure to these needs. One way of increasing their awareness and sensitivity is to incorporate lesbian and gay issues into counselor training programs. The focus of this article is to present a limited list of strategies and resources that can be used to supplement materials in traditional courses in counselor training so as to better prepare counselors for dealing with lesbian and gay clients.     

Collaborative Consultant: A New Role for Counselors Serving At-Risk Youths

School and community counselors have important roles in developing and implementing mental health programs for youths and families. Counselors who are working with the more complex issues of at-risk youths can enhance implementation of prevention programs by altering their roles to function within a collaborative consultation model. This model represents a new paradigm in that counselors interdependently and collaboratively partner with people previously considered their “consultees.” Such collaboration can result in more comprehensive and integrated programs, and it can prevent fragmentation and duplication of efforts. Collaborative consultation is described and contrasted with more traditional consultation models, and a 5-stage implementation process is presented. Personal and systemic factors that support the collaborative process are examined.     

THE DECISION TO IMPLEMENT GAINSHARING: THE ROLE OF WORK CLIMATE, EXPECTED OUTCOMES, AND UNION STATUS

This study empirically examines several factors that may predict management decisions to implement high-involvement gainsharing plans, interventions that pay company-wide bonuses for performance improvements and encourage employee involvement in work decisions. It addresses the question: why does one facility that considers implementing a gainsharing plan decide to do so, while another facility does not? In 59 facilities (32 nonunion and 27 union) considering the implementation of a gainsharing plan, 485 upper-level managers evaluated the work climate in their facilities (participation, identity, cooperation, and expected plan support) and rated the anticipated outcomes of the intervention. Union status had no direct relationship with the implementation decision. A significant interaction showed that implementation was positively related to participation and expected outcomes in the nonunion facilities, but was unrelated to these variables in the unionized facilities. The results provided little support for a “transformation” model of plan implementation and moderate support for a "compatibility" model.     

A qualitative analysis of contemporary ultra-orthodox rabbinical perspectives on scrupulosity

Scrupulosity is a religiously themed sub-type of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Religious individuals with scrupulosity tend to first turn to clergy for assistance rather than to mental health professionals. This is particularly relevant for Ultra-Orthodox Jewish patients, whose rabbis arbitrate a wide variety of life issues. In the current qualitative study, 15 Ultra-Orthodox rabbis were interviewed regarding their views on scrupulosity and their responses were analysed via grounded theory and thematic networks theory. All rabbis were familiar with scrupulosity and distinguished it from normative behaviors. Their conceptualizations regarding etiology were mostly psychological in nature, as opposed to religious or spiritual. Rabbis were generally supportive of psychology as a professional field and open to collaborating with therapists, although some controversies were raised. Given their isolated lifestyle, these findings are somewhat surprising and encouraging. Results suggest collaboration with Ultra-Orthodox rabbis can be fruitful and at times essential when dealing with scrupulosity.     

Inside the opponent's head: perceived losses in group position predict accuracy in metaperceptions between groups

Members of groups in conflict typically perceive the same reality in opposing ways. We investigated individuals' ability to accurately perceive out-group members' views of the conflict. Drawing on research on power and metaperceptions, we hypothesized that perceiving losses to in-group position would increase accuracy in predicting out-group members' views. Study 1 was conducted immediately following the Gaza flotilla incident. Israelis, who perceived the event as causing political losses to their group, were more accurate in predicting out-group members' views of the incident than were Palestinians, who perceived the event as causing political gains for their group. Moreover, Israelis' accuracy increased with their perception of political losses for Israel, whereas Palestinians' accuracy decreased with their perception of political gains for Palestinians. These effects were particularly pronounced among those participants who were highly identified with their group. Study 2 replicated the relationship between perceived losses and accuracy, and demonstrated that it could not be accounted for by factors such as education, political orientation, or empathy.     

IDENTIFYING REINFORCERS FOR PERSONS WITH PROFOUND HANDICAPS: STAFF OPINION VERSUS SYSTEMATIC ASSESSMENT OF PREFERENCES

We evaluated a systematic means of determining stimulus preferences among seven profoundly handicapped persons. Preferences were determined by observing student approach responses to individual stimuli. Results indicated that there were differential stimulus preferences across the multiply handicapped participants. However, results of the systematic assessment did not coincide with the results of a more traditional, caregiver-opinion method of assessing student preferences. A second experiment was then conducted with five participants to evaluate whether stimuli that were assessed to consistently represent preferences would function as reinforcers in skill training programs. Results indicated that stimuli that were systematically assessed to represent student preferences typically functioned as reinforcers when applied contingently. However, preferred stimuli as reflected by caregiver opinion did not function as reinforcers unless those stimuli were also preferred on the systematic assessment. Results are discussed in terms of assisting profoundly handicapped persons by (a) improving the effectiveness of training programs by increasing the likelihood of using stimuli that have reinforcing value and (b) increasing the overall quality of life by providing preferred stimuli in the routine living environment.     

From Theory to Practice: Facing Ethical Challenges as a Clinical Intern

Although formal ethics classes provide a basic foundation in managing ethical dilemmas, professionals often point to their experiences on internship as an important training ground for consolidation of their ethical development. Clinical interns face many personal and professional transitions that can lead to a number of ethical dilemmas. Effective collaboration between administrative staff, supervisors, and interns can create a pragmatic model for negotiating these dilemmas. In this paper, issues related to balancing intern competency with training and patient/client needs, managing dual relationships with supervisory staff, and dealing with differences in orientation are addressed from the perspective of both the site and the intern. We also discuss ways in which problems can arise and how both sides can work together systematically to negotiate those problems. To illustrate this process, we discuss cases involving effective collaboration between interns and sites. Finally, the authors assert the need for formal, empirically supported training in classic ethical issues, but also in contemporary ethical issues arising from the ever-evolving field of mental health service delivery and unique challenges accompanying these advances.     

Shari‘a in Sydney and New York: A Perspective from Professionals and Leaders Dealing with Islamic Law

This article explores how Shari‘a is conceptualized and experienced by 50 Muslim legal professionals and leaders in Sydney and New York. It analyses qualitative data on issues concerning the experience of Muslims with Shari‘a, on how this can be improved in both countries and on how compatible Shari‘a is with their respective legal systems. While the Muslim community should not be homogenized in either of these two global cities, the analysis discovers strong similarities with regard to dealing with a parallel legal system and implementing a more formal process. The New York sample expresses stronger support for a more community-based approach, while the focus on Shari‘a compliant business is stronger among the Australian participants. With regard to gender issues, the large majority of the respondents offer a strong reflective approach to dealing with these issues.     

THE ACCEPTANCE OF HUMAN RESOURCE INNOVATION BY MULTIPLE CONSTITUENCIES

This study evaluated the acceptance of six human resource (HR) management innovations by multiple constituencies in a large organization using questionnaire data. The programs studied included quality circles, flextime, flexible benefits, job posting, cash awards, and a fitness program. Significant differences in the acceptance of this company's HR innovations were found for the following background variables: program experience, hierarchical level, seniority, and organizational unit. Possible reasons for differences in constituencies' levels of acceptance and practical issues to be considered when implementing HR innovations are discussed.     

Counselling immigrants: School contexts and emerging strategies

In light of the important roles school counsellors fulfil, and their relatively high status and involvement in the Israeli educational system, the strategies counsellors employ when dealing with immigrant pupils in their educational institutions were investigated. The study was based on in-depth interviews with 37 counsellors working in secondary schools with relatively high numbers of recently-arrived immigrant students from the former Soviet Union. The findings highlight the great importance counsellors attribute to the school context and its organisational culture when formulating and implementing their work with immigrant pupils. Four counsellor roles for work with immigrants emerged from the interviews: as culturally-encapsulated assimilators, as self-facilitators, as specialists, and as cultural 'translators'. These strategies provide counsellors with frameworks for determining the issues to be addressed, their timing, identifying their clients, and devising maximally-effective tactics and techniques for implementation. The implications of these approaches are discussed in relation to counsellors' roles in educational institutions with multicultural populations.     

Training and careers in law and psychology: The perspective of students and graduates of dual degree programs

Over the last 15 years, commentators have discussed the relative merit—or lack of merit—of J.D.-Ph.D. training programs in law and psychology. Missing from the discussion, however, are the views of those who have enrolled in and completed dual degree programs. The authors, graduates of a law-psychology training program, provide both empirical data and their own views concerning the merit of joint degree training in law and psychology. As part of an effort to generate testable hypotheses regarding dual degree programs, the authors conclude that J.D.-Ph.D. training in law and psychology provides unique insights, skills and opportunities which may be unequalled by other approaches to training in the area.     

School administrators, parents, and sex education: a resolvable paradox?

The emergence of AIDS as an untreatable, lethal disease, responding to educational prevention strategies in high-risk populations, has brought the issues of sex education in the public schools to the forefront. However, administrators, teachers, and parents perceive different barriers to sex education implementation. This study, undertaken in a northeastern, multigenerational, ethnic city, characterized by adolescent pregnancy rates a third higher than the state overall, polled 42 junior and senior high school administrators regarding educational priorities, perceived barriers to expansion of sex education, and preferred methods of introducing sex education. Administrators perceive parents as a major barrier to the introduction of more formalized sex education in their schools. Paradoxically, these same administrators felt that parents were generally uncomfortable in talking to their children about human sexuality. Recommendations are offered from existing models of health education for resolution of administrators' conflicting views on parental roles.